Friday, October 7, 2011

Almost $603 million available from state for counties to expand jail-bed space

SACRAMENTO – In a special session held on October 6, the Corrections Standards Authority (CSA) Board approved release of the AB 900 – Phase II Request for Applications for the Construction or Expansion of County Jails.

California counties now can apply to the state for a total of $602,881,000 to construct new jail facilities. The funding was approved through Assembly Bill 900, also known as the Public Safety and Offender Rehabilitation Services Act of 2007. Funding is provided through lease revenue bonds.

CSA held a special session to expedite the application process for these funds in response to the October 1 implementation of the 2011 Public Safety Realignment reforms that shifts responsibility for housing and supervising lower-level offenders and adult parolees from the state to local jurisdictions.

“Making funds available for counties builds on the successes we started with Phase I,” CSA Chair and California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation Secretary Matthew Cate said. “Increased bed space will assist local jails in implementing much needed reforms called for in the 2011 Public Safety Realignment law.”

By March 2012, CSA expects to announce which counties will be awarded construction funding.

CSA has already awarded $617 million to 11 counties during Phase 1 to add more than 5,000 county jail beds statewide.

Projects currently under construction include Calaveras County’s 240-bed project; 1,368 jail bed expansion in San Bernardino County; and 144 jail beds in Madera County. Projects in other counties are in the final planning stages.

AB 900, which was enacted in 2007, provides $7.7 billion to add up to 53,000 prison and jail beds. The legislation provides funding for treatment and rehabilitation beds and for reduction of prison overcrowding. Of that $7.7 billion, AB 900 provides $1.2 billion to add local jail beds to reduce overcrowding in jails. Each county is required to provide a percentage of matching funds.